Highline Trail Hike

Yes. Guests have the option to add a trail lunch at checkout for themselves and/or their group. Lunch options include turkey pesto, deli beef, caprese, and vegan falafel selections, with gluten-free options available. Trail lunches are designed to be easy to carry and enjoy on the trail during your hike.

We rate Hiking Difficulty from Easy to Strenuous, with the below types of hikes.

Easy. A leisurely walk totaling no more than 3 miles throughout the day. Minimal elevation change, less than 1000 feet.

Moderate. A hike on consistent trail conditions with no more than 8 miles throughout the day. Total elevation change, less than 2,000 feet.

Strenuous. A hike on variable trail conditions totaling more than 8 miles throughout the day. Total elevation change, greater than 2,000 feet.

We will do our best to take you on the trail that you booked. However, Glacier National Park does occasionally close trails for a variety of reasons from weather, trail conditions, wildlife, or fires. In the case of trail closure, we will find another suitable location for your program to occur.

Yes. Each participant must have a Glacier National Park vehicle pass, which should be purchased in advance at recreation.gov.

Absolutely. Your guide provides interpretation on the geology and ecology of the landscape.

Primary Educational Theme: Stone on the Move — How ancient seas, tectonic forces, and ice shaped the Garden Wall and Highline Trail. This program uses geology as the lens to understand every part of the landscape, from fossilized life in stromatolites to sharp ridgelines carved by glaciers.

A minimum of 3 participants is required for the program. If the number isn’t met, guests are notified in advance and offered an alternative date or a full refund.

The Highline Trail offers a truly distinctive high-elevation experience along the Garden Wall, one of Glacier’s most striking geologic features. Unlike valley trails, this hike stays above the tree line, revealing ancient sedimentary rock layers, glacially carved ridges, and dramatic knife-edge views. Along the way, hikers traverse subalpine meadows bursting with wildflowers, spot specialized alpine plant life, and can observe fossilized stromatolites—some of the oldest visible evidence of life on Earth.

Your guide uses geology as a lens to interpret the landscape, explaining how tectonic forces, glaciers, and alpine ecosystems have shaped this rugged terrain over millions of years. The hike culminates at a large scree field above Big Bend, offering a unique spot to pause, enjoy a trail lunch, and take in some of the most panoramic and geologically significant views in the park. This combination of high-exposure adventure, geological insight, and ecological education makes the Highline Trail an unforgettable Glacier experience.